The European Yacht of The Year awards each year the best yachts launched during the past year. In 2020, five of them will win the prestigious Nautical Industry Award. The results will be announced during the opening night of the exhibition, which will take place from 18 to 26 January 2020.
In the Family Cruiser category, there are three typical cruising yachts. They must offer enough space and comfort to sail with the family, but at the same time must be easy enough to sail double-handed or single-handed. Beyond this versatility, family cruising yachts have to be relatively affordable, which is why many come from large production yards.
While in the past the market was mainly driven by 30- to 45-foot models, in recent years we have seen increasingly larger and more sophisticated models arrive on the market. A trend driven by the charter business, in which there are many models dedicated to family cruising, due to their attractive price. However, there are also models from smaller construction sites.
Elan Impression 45.1
The redesign of existing models - rather than the development of new models - has gradually become the current trend for many manufacturers. There are models on the market today that have been redesigned several times over the last ten to fifteen years.
L' Elan Impression 45.1 is the 4th version of the 45-foot sailboat. With a new deck layout and a completely redesigned interior, the boat has gained many advantages for owners and charterers with 3 to 4 cabins and between 6 and 10 berths with a saloon convertible into a berth.
Oceanis 30.1
It is the newest, but also the smallest cruising yacht of the market-leading Bénéteau Group. Following the success of last year's award-winning Oceanis 46.1, the 30.1 is a true family boat with a modest budget and compact size, suitable for many boaters.
Built in Poland by Delphia Yachts, a subsidiary of Bénéteau, this small model offers quality services. With a long list of options, it adapts to each specific request.
Sun Odyssey 410
Jeanneau is one of the most innovative manufacturers of large series production. Two years ago, the Sun Odyssey 440 won the title of European Yacht of the Year, both for innovative cockpit walk-around and general characteristics.
The 410 is slightly smaller, but very similar and was already launched last year. But it was its lifting keel option - launched in 2019 - that caught the jury's attention. A practical and rather rare feature in this market category.
